


To Catch A Thief

by SerSparklefingers



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 11:17:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8246867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerSparklefingers/pseuds/SerSparklefingers
Summary: Having run away from a quiet life at the orphanage and sent off to become an apprentice to a profession he has no interest in, Kit has managed to track down the most notorious thief in the Summer Isles. Determined to become his apprentice, Kit will follow the notorious thief and pester him in to accepting his services.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this is going to be my first multi-chapter story. Again, it’s original content so oc’s galore. I hope it’s at least entertaining for anyone who decides to read it!

The night was completely still. The only signs of life were the sounds of the cicadas chirping from their hiding places, deep within the branches of the lemon trees and the gnats hovering lazily around the lanterns’ soft glow. It was a beautiful, balmy evening, the full moon’s glow casting shadows long enough for Kit to creep through as he maintained his vigil. He had managed to avoid two sleepy looking guards already, who no doubt would have chastised him for his skulking. But after weeks upon weeks of tracking, he had finally found his target.

His target was not an easy man to pin down. One could catch a glimpse of him as quick as they could lose him. Yet his illusiveness served him well in his line of business. Larceny, mostly. This thief of his, name unknown but blessed with a thousand nicknames, was both a myth and a legend in this vast, old city. Rumour said he was no human, ghosting through walls and thieving valuables without disturbing the most heavily guarded treasure troves. 

Kit adjusted his hood and tried to blend further in to the shadows. It had been well over two hours since he saw his thief enter the pub and he refused to leave until he got him alone. His resources were running out and he needed an audience with the master thief, fast. Going on the run had seemed like such a good idea at the time, having no desire to waste his life away in a boring apprenticeship, constantly taking orders for a mentor who would overwork and underpay him. No, he had ran away from the orphanage with the sole purpose of finding the thief and nothing would stop him. 

Snapping out of his reverie, however, it was only then that Kit noticed the hem of a familiar black cloak fluttering around a corner and down a darkened alley. Cursing himself for his negligence, Kit scampered towards the alley as quickly as he could, trying to calm his breathing lest he give himself away. He was fortunate enough to spy his target turning another corner and heading deeper in to the labyrinthine backstreets of the docks. 

If Kit didn’t know any better, he would swear that he was being toyed with. It was no secret that the docking quarter was a warren of twisting and turning alleyways, confusing enough for anyone unfamiliar with the city to get lost, or worse. His nerves were betraying him. He began to panic. He had lost his target once more and was now running blindly in any direction, feeling like the hounds of hell were at his feet. It was then he saw him. Standing beneath the soft glow of a lantern, face shrouded in shadow courtesy of his hood, the thief appeared to smirk at Kit before darting to the left and out of Kit’s sight once more. 

Biting back a curse, Kit continued the hunt and bolted after the thief, all attempts at stealth and silence forgotten. As he ran, heart thumping in his chest, he swore to himself that he would catch him this time. After months of searching, weeks of tracking and then, finally, finding him, he refused to walk away from this night without having spoken to him. As he ran past the mouth of an alley, however, a small part of his mind questioned the likelihood of ever meeting this thief as he was roughly grabbed by the arm and slammed face first in to a wall. The unmistakable feeling of a knife being held to his throat seemed to snuff out any of his grand plans for the future. He had never been so frightened in his short sixteen year old life.

“Struggle and I promise you, you will be left here choking for in a pool of your own blood.” The voice sounded more frustrated than threatening. “Now, then. I think introductions are in order, don’t you? Who the hell are you and why have you been following me?” He wasn’t aware of the hand in his hair until pain bloomed in his scalp.

“My name’s Kit.” He whimpered. He had never prided himself on his bravery. Just as well, what with the way his knees were shaking and his lips trembling. “I wanted to talk to you. I need your help.”

“How did you even find me? Who sent you?” It seemed the thief had been caught off guard.

“Nobody, I swear! I swear, I didn’t even know you were a real person until a few months ago. I thought you were just a story they told us to fool us in to behaving and doing our chores.” He remembered all too well the stories he had been told at the orphanage. How these supposed cautionary tells had captured his imagination and had only resolved his plan to find the hero of his childhood rather than being cowed in to behaving like an obedient little boy.

The vice-like grip in his hair lessened a fraction and the cold steel of the blade was only a vague presence at his throat. “And what do you want with me? I’m not in the business of taking in strays or performing charitable deeds out of the kindness of my heart. Seeing as you’ve stalked me for so long you ought to know this already.”

“Please, just listen to me. I won’t take up much of your time.” The alley reeked of piss and other unmentionable stenches. He would be glad to simply plead his case and leave. “Please?”

The silence spanned out for a few heartbeats before Kit was released. He was pleased to note that his legs didn’t give out. Taking a deep breath, he turned to face the object of his obsession and noted that he wasn’t much taller than his own five foot and five inches, face still covered by his cowl and his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

“Well? Speak.” He hissed.

“Y-yes, I’m sorry. Yes, well… I’ve been searching for you for a while now, as you know. I was hoping that I could make a bargain with you. One entirely in your favour.” He stammered, smiling nervously and a little awestruck.

“A bargain? Now tell me, what could you possible offer me that I couldn’t just steal for myself? You do know what my profession is, yes?” the thief chuckled, his mocking tone only strengthening Kit’s resolve to have his way.

“An increase in your takings. I know you’re probably the most successful thief this city has ever witnessed, but you’re still just one man. But what if you took on an apprentice? You would be able to increase your takings while at the same time increasing the number of jobs you perform for clients. I already managed to hunt you down. Surely that proves to you how dedicated a student I could be.” Kit tried to ignore the flush crawling up his features, sure that his would be mentor could hear his heart thudding loudly against his ribs.

“So let me get this absolutely clear - after stalking me for months, chasing me down almost every alley in the harbour and making sure that I can’t even take a piss for fear that someone might be looking over my shoulder – you want me to make you my apprentice? I admire your tenacity, but I think this little business dealing of yours is concluded. Go home to your mother before she has a heart attack that her son’s been off gallivanting through the city past curfew.” The thief began to walk away, quite clearly baffled by Kit’s proposal.

“Wait! It took me so long to find you, y-you can’t just walk away from me like this!” he babbled, voice cracking involuntarily.

“And yet here I am, walking away from you.” The thief called over his shoulder. “Take my advice. Go home, get some rest, and start looking for a real job in the morning. I hear there are one or two ships recruiting.”

Kit didn’t think it was possible to feel any more dejected, or foolish, than he did at this moment.

~

The market place was awash with colour as merchants and traders did their best to make their stalls appear the most appealing. The fruit vendors’ stalls were brimming with fresh and fragrant produce from all over the land, possessing simple articles, like apples, to the more exotic delights such as pomegranates and mangoes. Kit, however, had no time to admire the vast array of goods. 

The midday sun beat relentlessly on his back. Trickles of sweat made their way down his neck and back, making him feel itchy and uncomfortable. After his encounter last night, rather than being deterred, Kit’s determination was only strengthened by the thief’s harsh words. Embarrassment still ate away at him. Yet he refused to be cast away so easily, thus, in the middle of the market, he waited.

Time seemed to tick by slowly in the oppressive heat, but his determination served him well. Out of the corner of his eye, Kit spotted the thief innocently strolling by a stall containing all manner of trinkets, from necklaces strung with pretty glass beads to petite but well designed jewellery boxes. Kit also spotted how the thief’s nimble hands managed to quickly tuck a wayward bracelet in to a pouch at his hip. Now was Kit’s chance.

Slipping through the crowd like a fish through a stream, Kit meandered up to the thief as silently as possible and dipped his fingers in to the pouch as delicately as he could.

“Excuse me, madam? I think this may have fallen off your stall.” He beamed, his boyish features doing him justice for once. The thief’s spine snapped straight as a column as he slowly turned to find Kit staring at him as innocently as a cherub.

“Oh my, how kind of you! I’m amazing some thief hadn’t run off with it the first chance they got.” The vendor of the stall smiled pleasantly at him, thanking him for his helpfulness and looking as though she were about to pinch Kit’s cheeks good-naturedly.

“Yes, and we couldn’t have that, could we?” the thief muttered in a clipped tone. “If you’ll excuse us, we really must hurry along now. Have a pleasant afternoon.” 

Being pushed through the crowd towards a more secluded spot, Kit couldn’t wipe the smirk from his face, even when the thief rounded on him. “What on earth do you think you’re doing? If she had called the guards on us you could have lost us both our hands!”

“I suppose if I had a mentor to teach me the rights and wrongs of thieving, that interlude could have been avoided.” He said, each word dripping with how smug he currently felt.

The thief glared for a moment. “And I suppose if I don’t concede to your demands you’ll continue to stalk, harass and pester me?”

“That’s correct. How fortunate I am to have such a clever mentor.” He beamed, relishing in the sour expression of his mentor’s face.

“Alright. So you wish to be a thief? My apprentice? You should know that in order for me to consider you, and I mean properly consider you, you must complete three trials. These trials are to not only prove your dedication to me, but to prove that you really do possess a gift for larceny. So, do you accept?” he asked, sardonic grin twisting his features as he extended a hand. 

In his eagerness, Kit grasped his hand and shook it excitedly. “Yes, of course, I’m happy to start right away.” He was too thrilled to consider that there may be consequences.

“It’s good to see such enthusiasm. Alright then. Meet me at the Horse and Lantern tavern tomorrow at twelve noon. Sharp. You should know how to get there, seeing as you followed me there last night. I wont tolerate lateness.” He smirked.

“Of course. Twelve noon, on the dot. But what should I call you? Mentor, of course. But I’d like to know your real name. My name’s Kit. I’m not sure if I told you that already.” He knew he was babbling, excitement overtaking his common sense to curtail his triumph and at the very least try to appear humbled by his mentor’s graciousness.

“Well, Kit… instead of adopting one of those ridiculous nicknames this city is so fond of, I think ‘Mentor’ will do nicely. My real name, however, is Casimir.” Without anything further, Casimir turned on his heel and made his way back in to the heaving throng of the marketplace, leaving Kit to sit and excitedly ponder what to do until their next meeting.


End file.
